on Real Time w/Bill Maher tonight, a short documentary video clip was shown. Bill went out of his way to explain a letter where Alexandra Pelosi stressed that she hadn't just edited the video to show the most extreme interviews.
personally, I found it pretty damn depressing with a dash of 'scary'.

In her second report of the season, 'Real Time' correspondent Alexandra Pelosi follows the campaign trail to Mississippi and interviews its residents about their political leanings. Her piece airs tonight at 10PM ET/PT on HBO.

Why is it that the poorest states in America are red states? It seems the poorer the state, the more Republican it is. The Census Bureau’s 2011 Statistical Abstract shows the GOP finds their strongest support in places where poverty and median household income are the worst. Case in point: Mississippi ranks dead last economically, with the lowest per capita income in the country, yet according to Gallup, Mississippi is the most conservative state in the union. It ranks first in the number of people living below the poverty line: 21.9 percent of Mississippi residents live below the poverty level. Dominated by conservative politicians, Mississippi has the lowest tax burden in the nation but ranks fourth in per capita federal aid. Mississippi is also a leader of the GOP effort to gut Medicaid but ranks first in the percentage of its Medicaid program that is funded by federal matching funds.

In a state that wants to repeal "Obamacare," Mississippi leads the nation in a number of health care problems. It has the highest rate of heart disease and the second highest rate of diabetes in the country. Mississippi's cardiovascular disease mortality rate is the highest in the nation. Some counties in Mississippi rank among third world countries when it comes to life expectancy-they have the shortest life expectancies in the nation and many Mississippi residents suffer from a lack of health care access (some counties don't even have hospitals). It is ironic that the states suing to prevent the implementation of the Affordable Care Act are the ones whose residents need it most. Still, Republicans poll best in places where healthcare is worst.

When it comes to education, adults in Mississippi have the highest rate of low literacy in the nation. On the National Assessment of Adult Literacy conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, 30 percent of adults scored "Level 1" (less than fifth-grade reading and comprehension skills). In 2011, only 21 percent of Mississippi eighth graders scored proficient in reading and 19 percent scored at least proficient in math.

Last November, social conservatives tried pushing the "Personhood" initiative, which defined a fertilized egg as a human being, banning abortion and most birth control. Despite Mississippi's focus inside the womb, there seems little concern about what happens to its residents outside of it. They have dismal rankings in out-of-wedlock births, births to teen mothers and unmarried women. For a state that votes for family values, its divorce rate is among Americas highest and it is the deadliest gun state in the nation.

Conservatism doesn't seem to be translating into positive results for the Hospitality State, so why do they continue to vote GOP? In the lead up to the March 13 GOP primary, I visited Mississippi to find out why it is a Republican stronghold today. We are going to let the voters of one of the most economically and educationally deprived areas of the nation tell you why they vote Republican.

Kansas holds its caucuses tonight, with 40 delegates at stake, but the Gingrich and Romney campaigns have skipped the state entirely in order to focus on Mississippi and Alabama, which hold primaries on Tuesday. Any state that neither Mitt nor Newt will even bother to try to pry away from Santorum must be a delightful place to visit. Has anybody got family there?Edited by Reasor - 3/10/12 at 9:01am

The Huffington Post's Election Dashboard has some fascinating trivia stats of the race so far.

Ron Paul has won zero states, but is destroying Gingrich and Santorum in campaign fundraising and Facebook Likes.

Gingrich is mopping the floor with the competition in number of Twitter followers, he has had the largest sum of outside money spent on attack ads against him, he appears to have paid the largest percentage of his income in taxes last year, and his Wikipedia entry has been edited the most times in the last week by far.

So with Romney losing badly in Kansas, Mitt continues to totally fail to connect with the GOP base and if he dosen 't win any primaries in this area battleground states like Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, and Colorado have to be in jeopardy. Even former stalwart states like Louisiana, Georgia and Kentucky could be lost as well. This is starting to get sad and actually I'm to think nominating Romney would be the biggest devastation for the GOP, because Santorum can win in battleground states and base states and yet Romney cannot, as of yet, winning island territories isn't gonna help any come November.

So with Romney losing badly in Kansas, Mitt continues to totally fail to connect with the GOP base and if he dosen 't win any primaries in this area battleground states like Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, and Colorado have to be in jeopardy. Even former stalwart states like Louisiana, Georgia and Kentucky could be lost as well. This is starting to get sad and actually I'm to think nominating Romney would be the biggest devastation for the GOP, because Santorum can win in battleground states and base states and yet Romney cannot, as of yet, winning island territories isn't gonna help any come November.

It could force Romney to bring on Santorum as his VP candidate, which will make for all kinds of hilarity in the general Election.

Back to the Auto company bailout issue. Romney keeps saying that the Bailouts were unnecessary, that a structured bancruptcy would have worked just as well. And he points to the Airlines as examples of very large companies continuing operations under bancruptvy. Which is true, but neglects some important points: workers get their pay cut, workers get their benefits cut, workers get their pensions gutted.

I really hope Obama begins a real debate on this issue this Fall. I'd love to see him debate Romney, make these points, then say "I know Governor Romney says he likes to fire people, (Obama looks and points directly at the camera) people like YOU!"

I really hope Obama begins a real debate on this issue this Fall. I'd love to see him debate Romney, make these points, then say "I know Governor Romney says he likes to fire people, (Obama looks and points directly at the camera) people like YOU!"

Back to the Auto company bailout issue. Romney keeps saying that the Bailouts were unnecessary, that a structured bancruptcy would have worked just as well. And he points to the Airlines as examples of very large companies continuing operations under bancruptvy. Which is true, but neglects some important points: workers get their pay cut, workers get their benefits cut, workers get their pensions gutted.

I really hope Obama begins a real debate on this issue this Fall. I'd love to see him debate Romney, make these points, then say "I know Governor Romney says he likes to fire people, (Obama looks and points directly at the camera) people like YOU!"

Romney likes the idea of a structured bankruptcy because that was his 'bread and butter'....move in on a company that has hit hard times, buy them out and pillage them. Maybe, the company will survive but he really doesn't give a shit as he will get paid either way.

Right and it's a damning view (one of many this candidate has provided) into a worldview that favors Owners over Workers (not to get all Marxist or anything). He simply does not see human lives in the Auto companies: he sees costs that should/must be cut to maximize profit.

It could force Romney to bring on Santorum as his VP candidate, which will make for all kinds of hilarity in the general Election.

Actually that could be a great idea for the GOP. Maybe, maybe there only chance. But an idea came into my head what if Santorum beats down Gingrich and Romney in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama would Gingrich suspend his campaign and give his earned delegates to Santorum? I know he's disagreed with a decent amount of issues with Rick but he might see him as a lesser of two evils and despises Romney even more, and would do something that dickish to destroy Mitt's chances. Plus maybe he offers Newt a big position in a *shudder* A Santorum administration perhaps even as the running mate. If Santorum does get his delegates it will be very close. Also I got the idea from watching Ides of March so I don't know how accurate this scenario could be but.......I hope it happens to make the side show go on!

Santorum may be crushing the primaries but he's a HUGE liability in the general. Like I've been saying, this is the paradox of the modern GOP. They gravitate towards candidates who are tremendously off-putting with the average voter. Santorum on the ticket basically loses the GOP the female vote, plus he's seen as a weenie loser. He's Palin with a dick (probably).

Santorum may be crushing the primaries but he's a HUGE liability in the general. Like I've been saying, this is the paradox of the modern GOP. They gravitate towards candidates who are tremendously off-putting with the average voter.

Precisely. We're watching the nomination process of a party that woefully misinterpreted the results of the last Presidential election. "Nominating a senile git and a game show hostess couldn't be what lost us the election; it must be because we weren't radical enough."

Precisely. We're watching the nomination process of a party that woefully misinterpreted the results of the last Presidential election. "Nominating a senile git and a game show hostess couldn't be what lost us the election; it must be because we weren't radical enough."

This is the problem when you have a group of people who have a fanatical belief that they are NEVER WRONG about ANYTHING.....EVER! They even call themselves "The Right". For these cretins, 9/11 was Bill Clinton's fault and the 2008 economic crash was all Obama's doing despite the overwhelming evidence that Bushco. was to blame for these catastrophes. And even when it actually hits these people of how badly Bush fucked up, their answer is "oh, he wasn't a REAL CONSERVATIVE".

When dealing with Conservatives, you're not dealing with rational intelligent beings. You're in fact dealing with rotten little children who scream, cry and yell to get everything their own way and blame everyone else when they fuck everything up. Look at Limbaugh or Brietbart, these cocksuckers do nothing but lie, smear and attack people and when Brietbart died it was "oh, look at the EVIL LEFTIES dancing on this poor mans grave. What about his wife and children?!" as they clutch their pearls. Same thing with what's been going on with Limbaugh recently. That fat cunt's been laying out hate and slander for decades and the second people fight back it's "look at those mean liberals, how full of venom and hatred they are'.

It's literally dealing with a fucking child who says "I know you are but what am I?" and when you hit back they go crying to their mommy. Fucking sickens me how these people are able to delude themselves but, of course, this is all tied into their religious beliefs and how thet constantly attack science because it blasts holes through their bullshit while deliberately trying to dismantle education because these evil fucks know that people who are uneducated and ignorant are easier to control.

So I don't give Conservatives a fucking inch because they do nothing but trash the joint while the rest of us have to clean up their fucking messes.

Precisely. We're watching the nomination process of a party that woefully misinterpreted the results of the last Presidential election. "Nominating a senile git and a game show hostess couldn't be what lost us the election; it must be because we weren't radical enough."

This is the problem when you have a group of people who have a fanatical belief that they are NEVER WRONG about ANYTHING.....EVER! They even call themselves "The Right". For these cretins, 9/11 was Bill Clinton's fault and the 2008 economic crash was all Obama's doing despite the overwhelming evidence that Bushco. was to blame for these catastrophes. And even when it actually hits these people of how badly Bush fucked up, their answer is "oh, he wasn't a REAL CONSERVATIVE".

When dealing with Conservatives, you're not dealing with rational intelligent beings. You're in fact dealing with rotten little children who scream, cry and yell to get everything their own way and blame everyone else when they fuck everything up. Look at Limbaugh or Brietbart, these cocksuckers do nothing but lie, smear and attack people and when Brietbart died it was "oh, look at the EVIL LEFTIES dancing on this poor mans grave. What about his wife and children?!" as they clutch their pearls. Same thing with what's been going on with Limbaugh recently. That fat cunt's been laying out hate and slander for decades and the second people fight back it's "look at those mean liberals, how full of venom and hatred they are'.

It's literally dealing with a fucking child who says "I know you are but what am I?" and when you hit back they go crying to their mommy. Fucking sickens me how these people are able to delude themselves but, of course, this is all tied into their religious beliefs and how thet constantly attack science because it blasts holes through their bullshit while deliberately trying to dismantle education because these evil fucks know that people who are uneducated and ignorant are easier to control.

So I don't give Conservatives a fucking inch because they do nothing but trash the joint while the rest of us have to clean up their fucking messes.

Newt Gingrich's spokesman on Sunday dismissed speculation about a potential Gingrich-Rick Perry ticket being announced before the Republican National Convention in August, saying the two camps have not discussed the idea "at any level."

A report by Fox News cited "sources close to the Gingrich campaign" saying preliminary conversations about such a ticket have begun with the hopes that pairing the former Speaker of the House and the Texas governor might unite evangelical, tea party and other conservative voters.

Chris Matthew's show was pretty interesting last night. Four campaign reporters, all now saying we're probably headed for a brokered convention. Most interesting thing was that one of them said Romeny is running out of money, now that his donations are slowing, and he's been spending big. Is this a case where citizen's united is coming to bite the GOP in the ass? In that the money is going to the SuperPACs and not the candidates?

Still, Romney is the bastard that murdered KB toys. I will never forgive him for that.

[A]t one point, Mr. Finebaum asked Mr. Romney, as a New England Patriots fan, where he thought Peyton Manning should go as a free agent, and the candidate highlighted his friendship with football team owners — echoing comments in which he explained his affinity for Nascar by noting he knew the owners of Nascar teams.

"I'm surprised to hear that Denver's thinking about him," Mr. Romney said. "I don't want him in our neck of the woods, let's put it that way."

"I've got a lot of good friends, the owner of the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, both owners are friends of mine," he added. "But let's keep him away from New England."

God Romney is so awkward! He makes John Kerry look like John F. Kennedy! Is he even human, he's so robotic statements like this and "the grass is the right height", "loving" Daniel Boone, grits and firing people makes him seem like he lacks a soul. Let's not even get to his pet care "skills". I will be amazed if he wins in either Alabama or Miss. Today if he does it might be academically over, if not this could end in a bitter convention fight and if it goes past one vote in Tampa I think Romney's chances are over and looking like a Palin or Bush win at the convention could be possible. Peferbally Bush to bring same sanity to this and in his mind it would need to be done to save the party.

I really think Palin is to shrewd to run for anything again. She can make plenty of money as a commentator and GOP darling, and never have to be accountable for anything she says. Nice work if you can get it.

Here's something I don't get: Santorum is a hard-core Roman Catholic, correct? But he's popular in, and courting the Evangelical vote. I thought Evangelicals hated Roman Catholics? Am I way off on that?

It's a different flavor of hate. Evangelicals are familiar enough with Catholicism to disagree, but understand. The LDS church's insular nature makes it an alien Other, and the lack of familiarity leaves a lot of room for the Evangelical imagination to form suspicions.

My mother is a practicing Catholic and she thinks Santorum is full of shit.

Santorum does act more like an Evangelical than a Catholic. The Catholic Church is against the Iraq War and the death penalty. For all his proud Catholic talk, that is all it is, talk. While the Catholic Church is far from pro-gay, they're not as crazy about it, like Santorum. I remember years ago hearing an anti gay marriage Catholic church commercial on the radio. It used Bob Hope as an example of how great traditional marriage is. Of course Hope did nothing but cheat on his wife. I have no problem with gay marriage. If two people are happy together, then good for them. That and I don't care about other people's personal life.

On the Alexandra Pelosi piece, I wish the Democrats would pay some think tanks to figure out how to speak to those people. The left raises their eyebrows and scratches their heads, but there's got to be a way to reach them (not counting using lowest common denominator racism and ego-stroking about "real America" and "get govmint off my back" catch-phrases).

The GOP made a brilliant move years and years ago by tying "Family Values" to the Republican Party. The base will take alot from their own party if they believe that they are a part of the team that Jesus approves of. Add to that the Republican Party, while not racist at its core, provides a home that's not judgmental of racism or misogyny and even throws them a bone every now and then. In short today's GOP base is a bit stupid and they are selling their votes for way too little money.

On the Alexandra Pelosi piece, I wish the Democrats would pay some think tanks to figure out how to speak to those people. The left raises their eyebrows and scratches their heads, but there's got to be a way to reach them (not counting using lowest common denominator racism and ego-stroking about "real America" and "get govmint off my back" catch-phrases).

The Left has always had a problem with being or appearing to be condescending to "Middle Americans", whether to define that to be a geographical or a class term. As an ex-Republican (now Independent voter) I cringe when I hear the words "Fair Share!" shouted like it's a rallying cry. It's like the Democrats think there is a a Lower Class and a class of Ultra-Wealth Overlord oppressors. No one owning small shops or home-run businesses, no rural voters etc.

Americans in general are an aspirational people. You may argue that the reality is different, but that's what a majority of American's respond to. "Fair Share" talk was branded long ago by the Right as Class Warfare. The Democrats and the Left (since the two are not always the same) need to find another way to talk about their vision of the country. Obama does it sometimes when he talks of a "even playing field". More of that, less of the other.

The Left has always had a problem with being or appearing to be condescending to "Middle Americans", whether to define that to be a geographical or a class term. As an ex-Republican (now Independent voter) I cringe when I hear the words "Fair Share!" shouted like it's a rallying cry. It's like the Democrats think there is a a Lower Class and a class of Ultra-Wealth Overlord oppressors. No one owning small shops or home-run businesses, no rural voters etc.

Americans in general are an aspirational people. You may argue that the reality is different, but that's what a majority of American's respond to. "Fair Share" talk was branded long ago by the Right as Class Warfare. The Democrats and the Left (since the two are not always the same) need to find another way to talk about their vision of the country. Obama does it sometimes when he talks of a "even playing field". More of that, less of the other.

Great summation. Obama has had some success reaching low information voters but as a whole, the Dems have that elitist East Coast snobbery problem going on. The only guy I know who has managed to talk to them with any success was Bill Clinton. He had a way of connecting with the common person that few in the Democratic Party have been able to emulate. Frankly, I think those people are just lost to the Democrats for a generation or two.

I heard that Elizabeth Warren talked to Senate Democrats about financial services and the needs of working families and all those old codgers were blown away. She is able to boil it all down simply and relatably (word?) without being condescending. I really hope she gets elected in Mass. I also think Obama is much better than most of the Dems at large but will never be able to connect to them because of preexisting prejudices. I do remember during the elections, southern racists were so fed up with the Republicans they had some signs in support of Obama but using racial epithets.

The Left has always had a problem with being or appearing to be condescending to "Middle Americans", whether to define that to be a geographical or a class term. As an ex-Republican (now Independent voter) I cringe when I hear the words "Fair Share!" shouted like it's a rallying cry. It's like the Democrats think there is a a Lower Class and a class of Ultra-Wealth Overlord oppressors. No one owning small shops or home-run businesses, no rural voters etc.

Americans in general are an aspirational people. You may argue that the reality is different, but that's what a majority of American's respond to. "Fair Share" talk was branded long ago by the Right as Class Warfare. The Democrats and the Left (since the two are not always the same) need to find another way to talk about their vision of the country. Obama does it sometimes when he talks of a "even playing field". More of that, less of the other.

Great summation. Obama has had some success reaching low information voters but as a whole, the Dems have that elitist East Coast snobbery problem going on. The only guy I know who has managed to talk to them with any success was Bill Clinton. He had a way of connecting with the common person that few in the Democratic Party have been able to emulate. Frankly, I think those people are just lost to the Democrats for a generation or two.

unfortunately, there is one big factor that gave/gives Clinton an advantage over Obama with regards to being successful in the south...and it isn't because he's considered to be a 'northern elitist'.

I can only hope you are right in that it will only take a generation or 2...

Santorum leading so far in Miss and Alabama if results stay as is Romney's southern ineptitude continues and you gotta think Gingrich has to be thinking of dropping out soon and than Romney could be in huge, huge trouble!